Horseshoe.



W. S. MQGRAOKEN.

HORSESHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1912.

1,092,585., PatentedApr. 7, 191$ a &

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. Mc- CRAOKEN, citizen of the United States, residing at J oliet, in the county of lVill and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Horseshoes, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of horse shoes in which the calks are made removable in order that when they become dull or worn, they may be replaced by new ones. I have found that the best construction is to provide three lugs at the toe and three lugs at each of the heel ends of the bar so that the calks may be held each between three abutments. This is of especial importance with respect to the toe calk for the reasons that will be presently eX- plained.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the underside of a horse shoe embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view taken on section line 22 of Fig. 1.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different views.

The bar 1, it will be seen, is provided with three lugs at the toe and also with the same number at each of the heel ends. At the toe the lugs 2, 3 and 4 form the abutments for supporting the calk 5. The said calk, after being placed in position, is secured by the key or wedge 6 which is driven in as shown between the said calk and the lug 2. These lugs 2, 8 and I are provided with bearing surfaces which form a channel so to speak for receiving the calk 5. The lugs 3 and 4 are located upon opposite sides of the center of the bar and their hearing surfaces incline toward the toe, while the lug 2 placed at the point of the toe of the shoe constitutes the third abutment or support, and the wedge 6 is driven in as shown; this lug at the toe is inclined toward the heel. There is thus formed a channel which is restricted at the outer portion, and thus the calk may be securely held in place. The bearing surfaces of the lugs 2, 3 and 4: I have shown rounded; moderate change in the curve of the bar at the toe will not change the relative positions of the bearing surfaces.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1912.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914:. Serial No. 704,728.

Referring to the heel ends of the bar the lugs 7, 8 and 9 are of similar construction to the lugs at the toe, and the calks 10 are held in place in a similar manner, a wedge 11 in each case being driven in, preferably from the outer sides, respectively, to secure the calks in place in the channels formed by the overhanging lugs.

To more positively keep the calks in posi tion I provide offsets 12 upon the calks, the shoulders which come between the corresponding studs. My shoe may be cast out of malleable iron and after going through the annealing process is ready to nail to the horses foot, needing no further labor in filing and fashioning the different parts. The shoe, if desired, may be forged or rolled, since the construction is such as to admit of the rolling or forging operation. The calks are made wedge-shaped, their upper or wider edge resting against the surface of the bar while the lugs are shaped to conform to the calks.

Removable calks heretofore have not been introduced practically to a large extent for several reasons, among which may be mentioned the complications introduced in construction and the liability of the parts becoming misplaced when the blacksmith heats the shoe in fitting it to the foot. Any grooves or channels, especially those at the toe, have been liable to be warped so that the calks may not be put in and secured in place without special fitting.

In order to meet the requirements of the present day it is necessary that the bar, lugs and channel be so constructed that when heated and bent to the different shapes required, the relative position of the set of abutments or the direction of the channels intended to support the removable calks may not be changed so as to require special shaping of such channels or abutments or of the calks themselves. It will be seen that the bar of my shoe may be heated at the toe and then spread or contracted without materially changing the position of the lugs relatively.

I have, in some instances, formed the lug 2 at the toe with a plain inclined surface with good effect instead of with a rounded surface as shown in the drawings. In winter, when the roads are icy and slippery, I use a sharpened calk that fits in between the lugs the same as the dull calks shown in the drawings. In order to change from one kind of calk to the other, it is only necessary to drive out the keys and the change is thus readily made upon the street or other- Wise.

I claim 1. In a horse shoe, a bar provided With three lugs at the toe of the shoe, one of said lugs being located centrally of the bar near the forward edge thereof and the other of said lugs being located upon opposite sides of the center of said bar and rearward of a bar having the lug or abutment at the toe and corresponding abutments 8 and 4 provided With rounded bearing surfaces, of a calk provided With an offset to form shoulders Which come between the last mentioned abutments the Wedge or key inserted between said call: and the lug at the toe; and removable calks at the heel ends of said .bar With means for securing the same in place, as and for the purpose specified. M V

In Witness whereof, I, hereunto subscrlbe my name this 18th day of June, A. 11, 1912. s

WILLIAM S, MQCRACKEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTO ALFRED H. Moons.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. 7

Washington, I). G. 

